Stamping machine



Aug. 11, 1953 R. G. WlNN STAMPING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 19, 1951 INVENTOR: I

ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 11, 1953 R. G. WINN 2,648,453

STAMPING MACHINE Filed May 19, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 [iii IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 11, 1953 R. G. WlNN 2,648,453

STAMPING MACHINE Filed May 19, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 11, 1953 R. G. WINN STAMPING MACHINE l Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 19, 1951 Patented Aug. 11, 1953 STAMPING MACHINE Robert G. Winn, Oak Park, 111., assignorto American. Dccalcomania Company, Inc., Chicago, Ill., acorporatlon of Illinois Application- May 19, 1951, SeriazINo. 227,150

Claims. (Cl. 2.1692.)

My invention relates to an. improved stamping machine, and more particularly to an improved stamping machine for applying state cigarette tax stamps.

Cigarettes are transported and sold in cardboard cartons, each of which contains ten packages of twenty cigarettes. each. Tax stamps, such as those associated, with state. sales taxes on cigarettes must be applied to each individual package to satisfy the applicable laws. Since such stamps are frequently imposed by state or local governments and consequently are applied to a relatively small proportion of the total number of cigarette packages sold, it is not feasible to apply them at the factory and it is desirable to provide an efiicient method of applying them to cigarettes packed in cartons.

In United States Patent No. 2,516,783, issued July 25, 1950, there is disclosed a method of and a mechanism for applying such stamps to cigarette packages. While the structure of this mechanism has been found highly advantageous in many respects, certain problems have been encountered in connection. with its use. One of these problems relates to the use of a solvent or gluing fluid being applied to an area on the exterior of the cigarette packages preparatory to the application of the stamps.

In the operation of the machine shown in U. S. Patent No. 2,516,783 it was found very difficult to control the amount of solvent or gluing fluid applied to the cigarette packages. When the fluid applying mechanism is adjusted so that sufiicient fluid would be applied to insure the softening of the soluble glue backing on the stamps there was a tendency for excess solvent to be applied. This excess solvent was found to soften the cellophane, and in some cases to. enter the interior of the package and thus damage the cigarettes. Furthermore, even if. the solvent. did not damage the wrapper or enter the package, it was found to be objectionable to many operators because of the resulting odor.

Another serious disadvantage to the. use of solvents in applying the cigarette stamps is that even when the solvent is applied to spots on the packages in correctly measured quantities, the solvent soaks into the stamp and penetrates to the upper printed surface. It has been found that the stamps remain in moist condition for several minutes after theattaching of the stamps. This is objectionable when it is desired to print a cancellation mark on the stamps immediately after they are attached, as required by several states including New York.

The purpose of. the cancellation mark, which is generally a number, is to provide an auditing facility for the benefit of the state. Each distributor isassigned. a number which must be applied tocancel or validate the state tax stamps before the cigarette packages can be sold. Because of these requirements, it is frequently necessary to print numbers on tax stamps, and it is desired to. employ ordinary rotogravure inks for this purpose.

When a. cancelling device adapted to print numbers. or cigarette stamps was added to the machine shown. in U. :3. Patent No. 2,516,783 it was found) that. because the stamps were moist as described above the number impressions did not, take properly, and had a tendency to smear upon the closing of the cartons. This smearing tendency greatly interfered with the handling of the cartons. in this machine, since it was desired to: close the. cartons immediately after the stamp attaching operations.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to. provide a new means for securing tax stamps to cigarette packages which eliminates the. use of a solvent or gluing fluid with its attendant disadvantages as described above. More specifically, it is an object of my invention to provide. means for heat sealing tax stamps to cigarette packages: which will effectively secure thestamps-without' scorching or otherwise damaging the cellophane wrapper onthe packages. It. is a still further object of my invention to provide means for cancelling cigarette tax stamps immediately after their attachment by the heat sealing means. Further objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

My invention is shown in an illustrative embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevational view of a cornplete machine incorporating the features of the present: invention; Fig. 2, a top plan view of the machine shown in Fig. I; Fig. 3, an enlarged perspective detailview of the heat sealing member; Fig; l, an enlarged fragmentary side view of the heat=sealing member in operative relation; Fig. 5-, anenlarged fragmentary cross sectional View on the line 5+5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6, an enlarged perspective detail tiew of the cancelling mechanism showing the operating cam and members: somewhat schematically; Fig. Z, a longitudinal cross sectional view of the cancelling mechanism of Fig. 6; and Fig. 8, a detail cross sectional: view of the inking rolls and cancelling: wheels taken: online 8-8 of Fig. 7.

The location and relationship of the elements of my improved stamping machine can be seen best in Figs. 1 and 2. One of the main elements of this machine is a track structure T upon which the cartons of cigarettes are placed. This structure incorporates elements operative to impart step-by-step movements to the cartons to propel them from the right-hand end, Figs. 1 and 2, upon which they are received, to the lefthand end, where they may be removed.

As shown in greater detail in U. S Patent No. 2,516,783, track T includes a pair of vertical guide walls In and II, which snugly receive the carton C, as indicated in Fig. 4'. The bottom of the track is provided by a carriage |3. This carriage includes an elongated groove bar I4, having a succession of spaced carton-engaging pawls l5. The construction and method of .operation of the pawls is set forth in greater de-' tail in U. S. Patent No. 2,516,783. For the purposes of this invention, it is believed sufficient to point out that pawls 5 are spring biased upwardly and depressable beneath the weight of a cigarette carton so that the reciprocating motion of bar M is effective in moving the cartons forwardly in step-by-step progression correspondingito the center-to-center spacing of the packages.

As seen more clearly in Fig. 1, the track T is supported by a cast frame l6 which receives the adjustable track mounting bolts |7. These bolts are received in suitable openings in the side support member l8. Member |8 provides a pair of spaced tracks l9 and which receive the rollers 2| which in turn support the movable bar l4.

Reciprocating movements are imparted to the bar M by the crank assembly 22. This assembly includes a crank arm 23 pivotally attached to the depending bracket 24 which is in turn attached to the bar l4. At its other end, the crank I arm 23 is pivotally attached to the wheel 25.

The motor M imparts rotation to wheel 25, as seen more clearly in Fig. 5 by means of transfer shaft 26 through driving pulley 21.

In the form of the machine shown in the drawings, when a carton of cigarettes is placed on track T so as to be moved therealong, it is first brought under a heat sealing mechanism H. The purpose of the mechanism is to secure cigarette stamps, which are backed with a thermo adhesive, to the upper ends of the cigarette packages. Any suitable adhesive can be employed which is capable of softening upon'the application of a heated member to the face of the stamp. Since the composition of such thermo adhesives is well-known, it is not believed that it will be necessary to set out specific adhesive compositions herein.

In the illustration given, there is provided abe composed of any suitable material having a high coefilcient of heat conductivity such as aluminum and copper.

Any suitable means can be provided for heat- In the illustration glven, a cartridge-type resistance heating element .301 is,

ing hammer 29.

4, received within a central well 3|. This is shown more clearly in Fig. 3. Hammer 29 is mounted on fixed post 28 by means of hammer support bracket 3|. In the illustration given, support bracket 3| has two faces 3|a and 3|b at a substantially right angle to each other. Hammer 29 is positioned on face 3Ia and bolts 32 extending through longitudinal slots 33, as seen more clearly in Figs. 1 and 4. The projecting ends of bolts 32 are threaded to receive nuts 34 so that hammer 29 can be locked in the desired position on face 3|. Slots 33 are elongated to provide 7 for slight vertical adjustments of hammer 29.

' Extending rearwardly from face 3) are integrally formed rings 35 and 36 which are adapted to slidably receive post 28. Also, extending rearwardly from face 3| there is provided an integrally formed cam flange 31. The purpose of flange 31 will subsequently be explained in detail.

To the rear of hammer 29 on face 3|a there is provided a bracket 38 having a laterally extending lower end supporting a depending pin 39. As shown in Fig. 2, pin 39 is slidably received in an opening in fixed steadying arm 40. Thus, pin 39 cooperates with fixed arm 40 to maintain hammer 29 in correct alignment by preventing bracket 3| from turning with respect to fixed post 28 during the reciprocating movements.

Any suitable means can be provided for successively lowering bracket 3| to cause hammer 29 to press against the upper surface of the cigarette packages in the manner shown in Fig. 4. However, it has been found advantageous to provide cam means which are adapted to allow bracket 3| and hammer 29 to move downwardly under their own weight, and upon the flat end 29a coming to rest upon the tops of the packages to be moved quickly upwardly. By allowing hammer 29 to move downwardly only by its own weight, and by maintaining the contact between the hammer and the package surfaces for a second or less, it has been found that it is not necessary to precisely regulate the temperature of face 29a of hammer 29, and that this face can be at quite high temperatures without scorching or otherwise damaging the cellophane wrappers of the cigarette packages.

In the illustration given, hammer 29 is reciprocated by means of cam 4|. As seen more clearly in Fig. 4, cam arm 42 is pivotally mounted above cam 4| so that cam follower 43 rides on the surface of cam 4|. The inner end of cam arm 42 extends below cam flange 31 so that the up and down movement of cam arm 42 will be transferred to bracket 3|. If desired a screw 44 can be threaded in the inner end of arm 42 to engage the under surface of flange 31, and thereby provide for slight adjustments in the relative spacing of arm 42 and bracket 3|.

Cam 4| is mounted on cam shaft 45 which is geared to rotate at one-fifth the speed of transfer shaft 26. The transfer of motion from shaft 26 to cam shaft 45 is made through bevel gears 46 and 41 and spur gears 48 and 49, as seen more clearly in Fig. 5.

In the operationof heat sealing hammer 29, the I cigarette packages when cam follower 43 reaches the lowest point in the concave depressions 4m and cam 4|.

Immediately to the left of the heat sealing mechanism H as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 there is provided a stamp feeding mechanism S which operates to feed a pair of stamps onto the top of the pair of cigarette packages as they are brought to rest at a predetermined point beneath hammer 29. As seen more clearly in Fig. 5, the stamp feeding mechanism S also includes cutting elements for severing the stamps fed from rolls R.

Stamps are fed underneath hammer 29 and knife 5e by fingers 5|. These fingers are mounted in spaced positions on the sleeve 52 which is carried on a rockable lever arm 53. Lever arm 53 is pivotally supported from frame l6. A crank arm (not shown) is behind arm 53 and is mounted for rocking movements therewith under the driving action of link 54. The latter is connected to oscillating lever 55. The structure and operation of these parts is shown in greater detail in U. S. Patent No. 2,516,783. The fingers 5! each ride on a tape 56 made up of a succession of uncut stamps having central openings to receive these fingers. Each tape extends from the roll R supported on arm 51 downwardly between stationary guide members 58 and 59. It has been found that these cooperating guide members, one being convex and the other concave, are preferable to a roll in guiding the tapes 56. After passing between guide members 58 and 59 the tapes 56 extend horizontally to table 60 where they are engaged between cooperating fingers 5|.

When the lever 55 is oscillated in time sequence with the movements of the packages being stamped, the lever arm 53 is rocked and the fingers 5| execute corresponding reciprocating movements. These fingers successively engage the spaced openings in the tapes 56, thereby shifting the tapes forwardly by the distance corresponding to one stamp and positioning successive stamps under the knife and hammer 29. As seen more clearly in Fig, 5, knife 50 acts against the edge of the stripper plate or table 60 to cut the tape. Movable blade 50 is secured to cam rocker arm Bl which is held against cam 62 by tension spring 63. Tension spring 63 is attached at its opposite ends to rockable arm 64 and base l6. Cam rocker arm 6| is pivotally mounted at 65 so that cam follower 66 will ride against the peripheral surface of cam 62. Thus, when cam follower 66 rides over a protuberance 62a on the cam, blade is moved downwardly to sever the stamps.

In order to cancel the stamps by printing a number or other cancellation mark thereon immediately after they are secured to the cigarette packages, there is provided a cancelling mechanism C which is mounted above track [3 to the left of the feeding mechanism S, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2. The inner end of the cancelling mechanism 0' provides the concave guiding surface 59 for tape 56 which cooperates with convex guide member 58, as previously described.

As seen more clearly in Fig. 6, the cancelling mechanism C includes a fixed arm 61 having a rearwardly and laterally extending attachment portion 68 which is locked to horizontally extending post 69, as seen more clearly in Fig. 2.

By means of pin 10 carriage 1| is rockably mounted on the rear portion of fixed arm 61. Carriage 6| includes two forwardly extending side bars 1 la and H19 having upturned end portions 1 lo and. 1 id spaced apart to supportably re ceive the inking and printing members.

At the bottom of the upwardly extending portions Ho and H11 printing rolls 12 are rotatably mounted on pin 13. It .will be .understood that printing rolls 12 can be provided with any suitable projecting cancellation marks about the circumference thereof. In the illustration given, they are provided with number forming projections 14.

As seen more clearly in Fig. 8 printing rolls 113 are spaced apart by a spacer member 15. If desired, spacer member 15 can be formed entirely from a spur gear, as in the illustration given. The purpose of spur gear 15 will subsequently be more completely described.

The upper ends of members Ho and H11 are notched to rotatably receive pin 16. Upon pin 16 between members 110 and 11d there is mounted an axle member 11. In the illustration given, axle member 11 consists of a centrally integrally formed spacer portion 11a and outwardly projecting hub portions 11b. Inking wheels 19, which may consist of felt or other suitable ink absorbent material, are mounted on hubs 11b. Inking wheels 19 are dimensioned so that they will brush over and against numbers 14 on printing wheel 12. Retaining plates are mounted onhubs 11b on the outside of inking rolls 19 by means of screws 8! which extend through inking rolls 19 and into spacer block 11a.

Fixed arm 61 is also provided with a forward extension 32 having a slot 8.2a at its tip adjacent spur gear 15. Within slot 82a there is rockably mounted a pawl 83 on pin -84. Pawl 83 has at its lower end a gear-engaging tip 831:, which is adapted to engage the teeth of spur gear 15. At the upper end of pawl 83 there i attached a spring 84 having its other end secured to forward extension 82. Spring 84 serves to keep tip 83a engaged with the teeth of spur gear 15 for indexing the printing rolls after each impression. This will subsequently be explained in greater detail.

Carriage 1| is attached to one end of cam arm 85 by means of angular link 86 and lateral extension 31. Cam arm 85 is pivoted at 88, as seen more clearly in Fig. 5. The other end of arm 85 is provided with a lateral extension 85a having a cam follower .89 mounted on the end thereof. Cam follower 8.9 rides against cam wheel which is mounted on transfer shaft 26.

In the operation of the cancelling mechanism. cam follower 89 is moved upwardly by cam 90 which causes carriage 1| to be rocked downwardly against spring 9!, and thereby press number 14 against the cigarette tax stamps which have been applied to the cigarette packages. During the downward movement of the carriage the inclined upper surface of indexing tip 8312 allows the teeth of spur gear 15 to be disengaged therefrom. However, on the upward movement of carriage 1!, the flat lower portion of tip 83a engages the teeth of spur gear 15 and turns the spur gear a predetermined indexing distance. This positions a freshly inked number at the bottom of printing rolls 12 in readiness for the next impression. Because of the engagement between inking roll-s 19 and printing rolls 12, the turning of printing rolls 12 also turns inking rolls 19, and thereby applies ink to the numbers from which it has been previously removed by the printing operation.

In the operation of my improved stamping machine it has been found that the heat sealing mechanism cooperates with the cancelling mechanism in a highly advantageous manner. By

attaching the stamps by pressing heated hammer 29 thereagainst, the stamps are made smooth and dry for receiving the cancelling impression. Furthermore, it has been found that because of the rapid operation of the machine, that the stamps remain in heated condition when the ink is applied thereto by printing roll 12. This causes the ink to dry almost instantaneously, and thereby prevents any smearing of the cancelling mark. This is especially important when as i generally the case it is desired to reseal the cartons immediately after they are passed through the machine. If desired, means can be attached to track l3 for automatically rescaling the cartons. Such a mechanism is shown in detail in U. S. Patent No. 2,516,783.

'WhiIe in the foregoing specification I have set forth specific details of my invention for purpose of illustrating an embodiment thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many of these details can be varied widely without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

- 1. In an apparatus for applying stamps to an array of adjacent packages as they travel in stepby-step forward movements along a conveyor track, the combination comprising means operative to heat seal stamps backed with a thermo adhesive to a surface of said packages as they successively stop at a predetermined point of movement, and means for subsequently printing a cancellation mark on said stamps after said stamps have been secured to said packages and while said stamps are at an elevated temperature.

2. In an apparatus for applying stamps to an array of adjacent packages contained in cartons as they travel in step-by-step forward movements along a conveyor track, the combination comprising a presser member equipped with heating means reciprocally mounted adjacent said conveyor track so as to engage a surface of said packages when moved toward said track, means operative to feed separated stamps onto a surface of said packages in alignment with said presser member and in timed sequence with the operation ofsaid presser member, and means for printing a cancellation mark on said stamps immediately after they are sealed to said packages by said presser member and while the sealed stamps are at an elevated temperature.

3. In an apparatus for applying stamps to the upper ends of cigarette packages contained in cartons as they travel along a generally horizontal conveyor track, the combination comprising an elongated hammer reciprocally mounted above said conveyor track, said hammer having a flat head adapted to seat on the upper ends of two adjacent cigarette packages as they successively stop beneath said hammer, an electric resistance heating means associated with said hammer, means for feeding separated stamps onto the upper end of each of said packages beneath said hammer and in timed sequence with the operation thereof, and means for printing a cancellation mark on said stamps immediately after they are attached to said packages While said stamps are in heated condition, whereby the ink in said cancellation marks is caused to rapidly dry so that the tendency of said marks to smear when said cartons are closed over the stamp bearing ends of said packages is substantially overcome.

4. In apparatus for applying stamps to an array of adjacent cigarette packages as they travel in step-by-step forward movements along a conveyor track, the combination comprising means operative to heat-seal stamps backed with a thermo-adhesive to a surface of said packages as they successively stop at a predetermined point of movement, means for immediately thereafter printing a cancellation mark on said stamps after said stamps have been secured to said'packages and while the stamps are at an elevated temperature, and means for enclosing said packages in cartons immediately after said stamps have been cancelled.

5. In an apparatus for applying stamps to an array of adjacent cigarette packages supported in opened cartons as they travel in step-by-step forward movements along a conveyor track, the combination comprising a presser member equipped with heating means reciprocally mounted adjacent said conveyor track so as to engage a surface of said packages when moved toward said track, means operative to feed separated stamps onto a surface of said packages in alignment with said presser member and in timed sequence with the operation of said presser member, means for printing a cancellation mark on said stamps immediately after they are sealed to said packages by said presser member and while the sealed stamps are at an elevated temperature, and means for closing the cartons immediately after the packages contained therein have had the stamps affixed thereto printed with a cancellation mark.

ROBERT G. WINN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

